A Simple Do-It-Yourself Bathroom Remodel in 5 Easy Steps
Even for a Do-It-Yourself novice, these 5 easy steps to remodel your bathroom is easy for anyone to do without spending much more than a few hundred dollars and a Saturday afternoon. Remodeling your bathroom does not have to mean breaking things up, replacing all the big ticket items in your bathroom, or hiring a contractor do perform the work for you.
Plan a weekend and focus on these 5 easy steps to remodel your own bathroom and save money:
Lighting
Faucets
Cabinet Hardware
Mirror
Towel Bar and Toilet Paper Holder
Lighting:
Change your bathroom lighting – simply changing your bathroom lighting can give your bathroom a new look. Especially if your lighting isn’t bright enough to light up your bathroom, or your lighting looks outdated. Some really great looking lights can be purchased and quickly mounted in about an hours time. Remember to turn the electrical power off during any electrical work and follow the directions that come in the light packaging. I usually gauge how big a light I will need by looking at the total area needing the light. The larger the area, the more important it becomes to use a larger light.
Faucets:
Replace your bathroom faucet – with just a few tools such as a wrench, pliers, screwdriver, and plumbers putty, you can change your faucet in about an hour as well. Many times faucets begin to show signs of hardened water deposits or other discoloration. A new faucet can go a long way to making your bathroom sink look new. In some cases you may need to replace any water supply cut-off valves and drain lines that may have become worn or somewhat deteriorated.
Cabinet Hardware:
Your cabinet hardware is another easy way to upgrade the looks of your bathroom. This is certainly true if you purchased an existing home. Changing the cabinet hardware can easily give your cabinetry a facelift. Just be sure to find hardware with the same screw patterns as the old hardware to make the exchange very simple. You often can find new hardware for just a few dollars a piece, and when most bathrooms only use less than a dozen pieces of hardware, the cost is minimal and the improved looks can be substantial.
Mirrors:
Changing the mirror can also change the looks of your bathroom. If your bathroom has damaged mirrors, rusty frames, or just a bad mirror setup. Change the mirrors size or shape to give your bathroom a whole new look. Mirrors can be purchased in big box stores for a few dollars or you can have a glass installation company install a mirror for you. There are lots of choices such as plain flat glass, beveled glass, etched glass, colored glass, framed or unframed glass and much more to choose from.
Towel Bars and Toilet Paper Holders:
Finally, if you have towel bars or toilet paper holders that could use a facelift, consider changing them into something more modern or stylish. Each of these items have only a couple of set screws and a small handful of screws to remove. If you are placing a larger or smaller towel bar and need to cover the holes. I have taken a 51/2 inch wide board that is just about 3 inches longer than the towel bar to screw to the wall first, and then installed the towel bar over the board. Before installing this board I take the board to the cabinet shop to have the edges routered with a simple design. Looks great and provides a strong backing.
Just imagine a few dollars and a few hours and your bathroom looks better already. Without a doubt you can do these 5 easy to do steps to remodel your own bathroom all by yourself on a weekend and make a big difference.…
4 Crucial Tips For Remodeling Your Bathroom
Remodeling a bathroom can be a huge job, but there are some things that can make it easier for you. The bathroom is one of the most rooms in the home and many people end up remodeling their bathroom at some point in time. Maybe you are tired of the old décor or you need to make better use of the space in the bathroom. Whatever the reason you are thinking of remodeling, you definitely want to make sure you do the job right the first time or you will end up wasting thousands of dollars. Here are a few great tips for remodeling your bathroom that can help you make sure you get the most out of your bathroom remodel.
Tip #1 – Keep it Functional
First of all, when you are remodeling the bathroom in your home, make sure you keep it functional. Sure, you want the bathroom to look great, but you have to think about function. It can help to think about what you need out of your bathroom. Is this a bathroom for the kids, a bathroom for guests, or are you remodeling the one off the master bedroom. Think about who will be using the bathroom and it can help you make sure you keep it functional for the people who will be using it the most.
Tip #2 – Make it a Soothing Escape
While function is definitely important, when you remodel your bathroom, you also want to make it a soothing escape. The bathroom is more than just a necessary room. You want to create some atmosphere and give yourself a place that you can escape to for some relaxation at the end of the day. Decorate with colors and a theme that you find relaxing. If you enjoy taking baths, then make sure you incorporate a tub large enough for you to relax in. Keep it functional, but go beyond function to design a beautiful room where you can escape for some well deserved relaxation.
Tip #3 – Consider Doing the Work You Can Yourself
If you have the time and the know-how, consider doing all the work that you can on your own. Having your bathroom remodeled can get pretty expensive, especially if you are having a contractor take care of all the work for you. Just taking care of some of the work yourself can save you a whole lot of money. Sure, there may be some areas you are not experienced in, such as plumbing or electrical work, so it is worth it to pay to have someone else take care of that. However, you can do a lot of the other work yourself for big time savings that free up money to put on other parts of the project.
Tip #4 – Always Decide on a Budget Before Starting
Probably one of the most important tips for you to remember when you are going to do a bathroom remodel is to decide on a budget before starting the project. Many people have no idea how much a bathroom remodel is going to end up costing them. They don’t create a budget and end up spending far more money than they really can afford. It’s a better idea to come up with the amount you can spend first and then come up with a remodeling plan that sticks to that budget. This way you don’t create a lot of debt when remodeling, yet you still get a nice bathroom that you can afford.…
Small Bathroom Designs To Make Yours Look Larger
Whether your goal for your small bathroom design is cute, country-style, luxurious or kid friendly, it can be accomplished despite its size.
The following are some things you can do when designing your bathroom that will increase the appearance of its size.
Keep it clean and tidy. A messy, dirty bathroom looks bad anyways, but the dirt and misplaced items especially stand out in a small bathroom. If you walk in the small room when its messy, your eyes are immediately drawn to the dirt, dust, and clothes all over the floor. Not only that, but it will look even smaller. Keeping your bathroom as clean as possible, will help with create both a visually appealling and a larger appearance.
Eliminate clutter. Stacks of books and papers, too many toiletries, such as deodorants, razors, toothpaste, soaps and perfumes strung out on each countertop creates a chaotic and cramped space. Try to keep these things in a cabinet, drawer, closet or other hidden area. Have a small bar or dispenser of soap or a candle out on display.
Paint, Tile, or Wallpaper: When choosing paint, tile and wallpaper, its best to choose smaller patterns if you decide not to go with a solid color. Whether choosing a pattern or texture or a solid color, lighter colors are always better when you want to make the room look bigger. To create the illusion of a taller ceiling, paint it a lighter color than the walls.
Lighting and light fixtures: Choose smaller lighting fixtures because bulky ones add well, bulk. Recessed lighting fixtures are even better! Another tip is to add more smaller sized, but bright lights in several areas of the bathroom. This will really open up the room because there will be less shadows.
Storage: Corner cabinets or towel racks or standing shelves make great use of a small area. Store your items that you don’t want on display.
Flooring: Like the walls, choose lighter colors and patterns.
Decor: Mirrors on the wall are an excellent way to visually enlarge your bathroom.
Bathroom fixtures, such as cabinets and vanities: It is best to keep cabinets, vanities, and shelves on the smaller side. Less is more when it comes to small bathrooms. One to two on-the-wall shelves are plenty, for both decor items and for displaying your fancy soaps. A small, standalone sink will also create more space.
Doing all or most of these things will add both real and imagined space to your bathroom!…
Lighting Tips for Your Bathroom Remodel
No bathroom remodeling design is complete without a plan for improved lighting. Lighting serves many functions in the bathroom, from highlighting the decor to helping you accomplish your daily grooming and hygiene routine to complementing your reflection in the vanity mirror. By installing the appropriate lighting in your bathroom, you can both make the space feel larger and create place for personal retreat.
Here’s a look at the types of lighting you should include in your bathroom remodeling plans:
Task Lighting
Task lighting in a bathroom is one of the most important types of light to include in your bathroom remodel, as it gives you the necessary illumination for applying makeup, shaving, showering and performing other essential tasks.
When designing your task lighting, pay extra attention to the illumination around your bathroom vanity, which is essential for grooming and applying makeup properly. A common mistake homeowners make is placing a single light directly over the mirror, which casts misleading shadows on your face. If possible, surround the mirror with vanity lights or add sconces on either side of the mirror to create more even lighting on your face.
For additional task lighting, place a waterproof, recessed light above the shower or tub.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is a stand-in for natural light, enhancing the mood or atmosphere of a bathroom. If you’re fortunate enough to have a window or skylight in your bathroom, take advantage of the natural light as much as possible by removing blinds or curtains and using a thin shade or frosted glass instead. If your bathroom lacks natural light, you can simulate it with a lamp or chandelier on the ceiling. You can also create a soft glow by concealing, rope lights around the perimeter of the room behind molding that sits up to six inches below the ceiling.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is typically used to illuminate an aspect of your bathroom you want to highlight, such as artwork, a unique tile arrangement, a beautiful tub or an interesting sink. To create accent lighting, add a recessed spotlight with a beam aimed at the element you want to highlight.
Other Bathroom Remodel Ideas
Once you’ve designed your bathroom lighting scheme, make it work in harmony with the rest of your decor by using color and decorative elements to enhance the lights. A large mirror above the sink will reflect your bathroom’s light and make the space appear larger. For a small bathroom remodeling project, artistically arrange a collection of smaller mirrors. Adding a soft, light color to the walls and floors will also help reflect your bathroom’s light. You can also include a light-colored rug.
Finally, attach your different lighting elements to various dimmer switches to give you total control over your bathroom’s ambience. This will not only help you create whatever mood you desire, but it can help you save energy and lower your utility bill.
Although bathroom lighting is often neglected, good lighting is essential to any functional bathroom. As you begin plans for your bathroom remodeling project, make sure you include the one element that will help make the space look its best — and make you look fabulous.
~Flora Richards-Gustafson, 2010…
Consider A Makeover For Your Bathroom
Whether your motivation is to enhance your usage experience or to enhance your home’s resale value, a bathroom remodel project is one of the best investments a homeowner can make. In terms of maximizing the benefits, few can argue that renovating your bathroom will offer the most bang for the buck in terms of payback when it comes time to sell while allowing you the extra comfort and enjoyment while you are still in your home.
Much like a kitchen, the bathroom tends to be one area where potential home buyers have strong emotions. A functional and stylish bathroom can literally make or break the deal when you put your home on the market. But resale potential is not the primary reason to consider your bathroom renovation. Sure we all would like as much money as we can get, but why not enjoy your home to the fullest while you are still in it? Plus, with the economy in a down trend, more and more people are choosing to spruce up their existing homes instead of moving to a new home. You can save a lot of money by remaining in your home and simply improving it instead of moving. For the long-term, that decision makes a lot of sense financially.
Your renovation project can be as simple or elaborate as you desire. It is amazing what a new mirror and a new coat of paint can do for a bathroom. If your budget and energy allows, you can get really ambitious and knock out walls, install a new tub or shower, add new cabinets, and a number of other things. The only limit to your project will be budget and imagination.
Before you begin any project, you need to plan carefully. the last thing you want to do is begin a bathroom renovation that renders it useless for weeks because you didn’t realize the impact of changes you made or because you ran out of funds before you finished. The best way to avoid these types of planning mistakes is to use the services of a professional contractor. A professional will know the process, know the right subcontractors, and be able to steer you towards a successful completion. If your project is relatively small, then you can probably do it yourself without any help. But when pipes need to be moved or electrical outlets need to be moved, unless you really know what you are doing, do not attempt these types of tasks by yourself. Always leave these types of jobs to the professionals.
A bathroom renovation can make a big difference in your enjoyment of your home while adding potential resale value. If you don’t have the bathroom of your dreams already, look into an upgrade. Whether you want a major facelift or just new counters and lights, you will be happy you did. And the older and more worn your current bathroom is, the more you will probably enjoy your new one. The best part is that there are many options available regardless of your budget, just get creative and enjoy the experience.…
Affordable Bathroom Remodeling Contractor
If you are searching for the best bathroom remodeling, service in Denver CO area, there are some important things you need to keep in mind. The first thing that you need to understand is that remodeling the bathroom isn’t an easy task. There are several things that need to be done, which will take a good amount of time to accomplish. There are also several experts in the industry who can help you out with bathroom remodeling. You need to take the right step at the right time to do the bathroom remodel.
The most difficult part of the bathroom modification is space management and utilization. If the bathroom is small, getting all the bathroom items in that small place becomes a great challenge. First, you would think of the bath tub and they you would try and arrange all the other items around it. Although this is a conventional method of designing the bathroom, there are some newer, innovative ways to adding value and aesthetic appeal to your bathroom.
Good Tips For Selecting The Best Remodeling Contractor
When you take the decision of complete bathroom modification, you will have to get complete take apart the old bathroom items first. If you have only one bathroom in the house, you will have to involve the other family members as well. You and your family members can sit and discuss what will go where in the bathroom. Finding a good solution for the bathroom modification is always a welcome. If you find yourself at odds with the rest of your family members arrive at consensus by accepting some of their suggestions. If you are the homemaker and you feel that a certain design would work best in the long run, feel free to take the decisions yourself.
You may have to take ideas from experts, but it is not recommended to do all what they say. You need to have a good judgement of what is good and what is not so good for your bathroom. You will need the professional help of a trained plumber for the fittings of the bathroom items such as the bath tubs, bathroom vanities, bathroom cabinets, and so on. Before zeroing in on the various bathroom items, make sure that they will fit in the bathroom. If you are not aware of the design aspects, get help from a good bathroom modification service in Denver CO area.
When taking professional help, make sure to understand the layout of the bathroom. The bathroom modification expert will chalk out a plan, which you will approve. Check out the local newspapers for the names and contact numbers of some good plumbers. You will also find a good number of bathroom professionals on the Internet. These days, even new entrants in the field of bathroom design would make it look that they are in the field for years. So, put on your thinking cap and select the best bathroom expert not by what they say they can do, but by what they have done in the past.
A bathroom modification service in Denver CO area can cost you a lot, but you need to identify the best service that will give you the best rates. Cost of the service depends on several factors which include experience of the bathroom technicians and skills of the bathroom technicians.…
Bathroom Fixtures: Energy-Efficient Fixtures
Technology has also permeated into the creation of bathroom fixtures with the main intention of making energy efficient appliances and equipment. There are several fixtures, appliances, and equipment that are combined with electronic devices to provide efficient, ‘no-hands’ system. These systems help to enhance water use efficiency and at the same time ensure proper sanitation. Some of the water- and energy-efficient bathroom fixtures are discussed here.
Water Efficient Fixtures
The greatest benefit of water efficient bathroom fixtures is the savings it provides in both water and sewer bills. Further, such fixtures reduce the need for high-cost water supply equipment, waste water treatment systems, and thereby help in the maintenance of aquatic and riparian ecosystems. These fixtures also reduce the need for pumping, heating, or treating water. It also leads to water efficiency in product life cycles thereby preventing pollution.
High-efficiency Toilets and Urinals
These bathroom fixtures have been introduced by the plumbing industry with clear intentions of water conservation and energy efficiency. High-efficiency toilets use 1.3 gallons per flush as compared to the mandatory 1.6 gallons. The high-efficiency urinals that were created in co-operation with the water authority have a flush average of less than the mandatory 1.0 gallons.
High-efficiency washing machines
These bathroom appliances are believed to use technological advances to ensure water and energy efficiency in the process of washing clothes. Most of these high-efficient models use 35% to 50% less water as compared to the traditional models. This transfers to water conservation and savings in energy for heating lesser water.
Pre-Rinse Spray Valves
Pre-rinse spray valves are bathroom fixtures that are used in restaurants to clean the food particles from dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. The dishwashing process accounts for two-thirds of water consumption in such establishments. By installing high-efficient spray valves, you will consume only 1.6 gallons or lesser water per minute as compared to the conventional 3.0 gallons per minute.…